There All Along
by C V Ford
Summary: Looks like Otonashi wasn't the only new member the Battlefront inducted that day. Or was she all that new? A revelation or two about Oyama as well ...


There All Along

by

C V Ford

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This story picks up in the first episode scene where Otonashi is introduced to the members of the Battlefront after having revived from being clobbered by the mallet trap.

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... The girl gestured with an index finger. "... Now listen carefully 'cause this is important:

"In our previous world, death didn't care. It went after people randomly & indiscriminately. It's not like we were actually able to defy it ... But here in this world, it's a whole different ball game. We can exist as long as we're resisting Angel ... We're fighting back."

"But wait ... Wait a sec," the newcomer intervened. "When all's said & done, what then? What are you trying to accomplish?"

"Our goal is to take out Angel once & for all." The speaker declared. "Once we do that, this world belongs to us."

"Huh?"

"You're new here so it's no surprise you're a bit confused ... Heighten your sense of adaptability & accept things as they are."

"Accept things ... ," the young man mulled it over, "& then fight ... against this ... Angel."

"That's right ... Stand with us," the speaker extended her hand.

The newcomer paused, "uh-"

The other nine in the room looked on anxiously as the young man hesitantly reached to receive.

The sudden commotion of a roughly thrown open office door drew every ones attention to a furious apparition twirling a halberd above his head.

"Hold on a minute!"

The mallet trap sprang for the second time in as many hours, sending the hostile one flying.

"Moooron!" someone exclaimed facepalming.

"Dumbass fell for his own trap," said another looking on.

Looking over the shoulders of three others at the window staring at a broken body three stories below, the stranger queried, "that's ... what happened to me?"

Everyone turned their eyes back to the interrogator as she, seemingly unconcerned, continued.

"You need a password to enter Safe & Sound. This office is our anti-Angel strategy headquarters. It's the only safe place where we can talk & make plans."

"Uh ... Could you ... give me some time to think about this?"

"'Sure I can ... Anywhere but here though."

"Eh ... err ... hnn ..." He hesitated. It wasn't as if he had anyone/where else to turn to. A hostile 'Angel' roaming about. A seemingly ineffective school faculty/organisation. This bunch looked to be the only ones with anything going. They were organized, had their act had a reason ... a purpose. Albeit a seemingly very negative one. But still ... A lone wolf wasn't going to get far or cope well in this situation ... they had something. And he needed to bide his time & straighten things out for himself.

"Hmm?"

"Ehrr ... All right, fine!"

The group heaved a collective sigh.

"O ... K . What's the password?'

"There is no God, Buddha or angel,'" the speaker stated as she advanced & shook the young mans' hand. "Welcome aboard. I'm Yuri ... leader of this name changing Battlefront.

"And this is Hinata ... ," indicating to her left. "He's just as lazy as he looks but sometimes he pulls through."

"Hn ... yeah," the new intro smiled then brought himself up short. "Hey! That's no compliment!"

The leader flourished to her right pointing out a heavily built gentleman. "The big guy here is Matsushita ..."

"Hehh, she's ignoring me!" Hinata muttered.

"He's a 5th dan belt in judo so we call him 'Matsushita the 5th' in respect."

"Nice to meetcha'." The big fellow wrapped his sizable mitt over the newcomers'.

"Hn!" Hinata looked on, still smarting from the 'compliment'.

Pointing to the back of the group at a somewhat squeamish looking individual, Yuri said, "this one's Oyama. His special talents are he doesn't have any."

"Welcome to the Battlefront man," said the diminutive one shaking his hand.

"Dance to the beat!" A blindfolded spectacle leaped in front of him pointing both indexes. "Don't fear the reaper!"

"I don't dance guy."

"That's his way of saying hi. We call him TK but no one knows his real name. Even I don't have any idea what his deal is."

"Rockin' to the groove! Feelin' it? Feel it!" TK gyrated.

"What exactly is this guy on? I could use some right now."

She continued with the intros. "The guy constantly straightening his glasses trying to look intelligent is Takamatsu ... He's not particularly bright though"

"Huh?"

"Very nice to meet you." Straightening glasses.

"Uh ..."

"This here is Fujimaki."

"Fujimaki's the name, punk!" The sword bearer challenged.

"I'm not a punk-," the stranger answered looking away.

"That guy who went flying was Noda."

"The girl lurking in the shadows who keeps saying 'this is so stupid' is Shiina ... " A still, silent figure stared balefully from out of the north east corners' gloom, sizing him up.

"And sitting here," Yuri indicated the red haired young lady leaning against the end of a couch, "is Iwasawa. She leads the diversionary unit.

"There's a couple dozen others around the school who are also members of Battlefront.

"OK, that's all of us now, who are you?"

"Uh, um, O ... O ... Oto ... Otonashi ..."

"First name?"

"Can't remember."

"The whole amnesia scenario eh?" Hinata speculated then reassured, "don't worry. It'll come back eventually."

"Hey, wait a minute!" Matsushita. "Shouldn't we give him a uniform?"

"Oh yeah, I totally forgot about that."

"So tell me," Otonashi asked as he compared his slashed & battered shirt with the khaki blazers of the men. "Why's my uniform different? From all of yours I mean."

"Oh yours isn't different, ours is," the leader seated herself behind the desk putting her feet up. "What your wearing's the normal student uniform. This uniform is just for us. We ... are class SSS. Shinda Sekai Sensen. The Battlefront."

Otonashi noted the heraldic shield shoulder patch. Three runic Ss' over laurel trim with scroll banner under stating: Rebels Against the God.

Hinata put his hand on Otonashis' shoulder. "C'mon buddy, let's see what we can dig up for you. I'm sure we can find something."

Turning to go with Hinata, the newcomer brought himself up short.

"Oh ... uh ... who's she?"

"Who's what?" The Front leader answered.

"The girl near Shiina ... In the chair at the end of the bookcase reading. You didn't introduce her."

"Say what?" Yuri quick tuned her head for a look at the case.

"I noticed her right after I came to. She's been there quiet this whole time."

Shiina advanced toward the cases' end.

"Yeek!

The ninja girl sprang back, knives drawn. The rest let out a collective gasp. As Otonashi said, a bespectacled young lady sat where he indicated, closing her book & calmly scanning the room.

"Impossible!" Shiina exclaimed. "How could she ... I would have noticed her!"

The group murmured. This was serious. As everyone knew, NOTHING got by Shiina ... & yet ...

"Wait a sec," said Yuri launching herself over the desk. "Who ... & how did she-?"

"You don't know?"

All eyes (but Shiinas') turned toward the one making the question.

"What're you talkin' 'bout Oyama?" Fujimaki asked.

"Uh ... she's a member ..."

"Of what?"

"Er ... the Battlefront ... Ever since we started. She's-"

"Hold up!" Yuris' hand in a stop position, eyes shifting between Oyama & the girl. "You ... KNOW her?"

"Well ... Yeah ... don't you? Her name is-"

"How're we supposed to know her? I'm the leader," she panned across the group noticing their mutual confusion, "& I'VE never seen her before. Other than you ... It seems none of us have."

"Again," Otonashi interrupted in reiteration. "I noticed her when I woke up here. She's wearing the same uniform so I assumed she's with you."

The Front members turned in unison again to the seated figure. True enough, the percieved interloper was clad in the blue & white girls uniform of the SSS.

"Kinda' reminds me of Angel," observed Matsushita noting the girls' calm demeanor as well as dead pan non-expression.

With that, the hostility quotient rose a few notches.

"A spy no doubt," Takamatsu speculated, "and not a very good one."

"Good enough to get by us ... AND Shiina," countered Yuri.

An audible growl emitted from the ninja girl ready to spring.

"Wait! ... Guys! ... She's one of us! Really!"

The bunch looked back at Oyama.

"I'm tellin' ya ... She's been with us from the beginning. Came with the room I guess. I remember seeing her in here a lot when it was still the principals office."

"So how come none of us ever noticed her 'til now?" Yuri inquired. "And that was when our newbie just pointed her out."

"I don't know ... She's sat here with us often enough ... In on our operations planning ... voted with us on everything. We've stepped around her often enough.

I mean ... She's quiet ... more so than Shiina & Yusa combined."

"Yusa?" Otonashi.

"Our scout & spotter." Hinata explained. "She's usually out running around with that cel of hers keeping Yurippe informed of anything happening on campus."

"Why hasn't she tried to communicate?"

"She's talked often enough ... No one seemed to notice. I talk with her ... Come to think of it ... She's the only one who really ... talks to ... me."

"Great!" Fujimaki exclaimed tauntingly. "Not only we have TWO 'new' members but Oyama here has a girlfriend."

With some muted laughter all around, the tension, if not the scepticism, eased up to a marked degree with the exception of the still on full alert Shiina.

"It's not like that!" The flustered 'pure boy' exclaimed. "Though .. I wish it ... was."

Oyama gasped as he, along with everyone else, noticed the stranger looking straight at him, a slight smile on her face.

"Way to go buddy!" A surprised/impressed Fujimaki softly elbowed Oyama. "Looks like it's just that."

"Whimper ... "

Deciding on direct action, Yuri brushed past Otonashi & slowly approached the bluish gray haired young lady still seated.

"O-K ... " she said signalling for Shiina to back off. "From appearances you SEEM to be on our side ... Though I have my doubts."

"I am." No hesitation in her whispery reply.

"And ... as Oyama says ... You've been with us from the start ... correct?"

"Yes I have."

"All right. Now for the really important question ... What IS your name? ... Just who ARE you?"

The young lady did a slow blink then adjusted her glasses in almost the same slightly irritating way Takamatsu did.

"Yuki Nagato."

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Storyline (Second half only.) copyright © 5-24-13 C V Ford

Disclaimer: The preceding is a NON-PROFIT work of fan fiction for entertainment purposes only. I make no claim to ownership of the COPYRIGHTED names/characters, places, dialogue & events mentioned in this work. They are the sole properties of their respective owners. Please, by all means support the owners of such properties in the purchase & enjoyment of their works.


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